India - DESTINATIONS & HOTELS

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Darjeeling

The famous tea growing, Victorian era holiday resort and historical centre of Darjeeling is located high (2200 meters) on a ridge in the foothills of the Himalaya. The town is justly famous for its stunning mountain vistas with the dominating view being that to Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain, and other ice-capped peaks to the northern horizon.

Chowrasta is at the core of Victorian Darjeeling, a traffic-free square above the bustling bazaar on Hill Cart Road. Leading off it, the Mall descends to Clubside, an area below the esteemed “Planters' Club”, aka as the “Darjeeling Club” which was once the centre of Darjeeling high society. Little seems to have changed since tea planters from a bygone era attended colonial social occasions here!

Darjeeling is best accessed by air via Bagdogra (approximately 3 hours drive away), or our favourite way to get there is by train, or more specifically by “toy train” from New Jalpaiguri. The best seasons to visit are after the monsoons and before winter (late Sept to late Nov), and spring (mid-Feb to May).